Here’s what’s on my mind today: we look around at everything going on in our world and we think about how we should respond, we think that we need to respond all of it.
That we, as Christians, need to respond to the social issues that are being debated in the public forums. We need to respond to the political issues, especially as we are in an election year and we are, after all, citizens of the United States and directly affected by who holds office, and the ideology that will drive which laws they will pass and which laws they will do away with.
And we are most definitely affected by the culture; the culture we ourselves grew up in that speaks to our thinking and our emotional responses, as well as the cultures that we see around us; how they differ from us, or how they are the same, and how that affects us in our daily lives at work and at home.
As Christians we wrestle with the idea of getting involved in the world around us, believing that it is our responsibility to be involved with the world around us because after all, how can we carry out the Great Commission if we are not engaged in the world around us?
But here is the question I’m not hearing asked; did Jesus directly address politics, culture or social justice when He walked this earth? This is the main question, because we are NOT CALLED to follow Apostle Peter, or Apostle Paul or Pastor This or Reverend That or Evangelist SoandSo or Prophet Whoever. Luke 9:23
WE ARE CALLED TO FOLLOW JESUS.
NO ONE WAS MORE aware, and in a far deeper and far more intimate fashion than we ever could be, because he is in fact God and knows all things, than Jesus. And yet he managed to preach his gospel, the truth for all the ages, without being political, socially "relevant" or cultural, declaring that he himself is the way, the truth and the life, and that no one comes to the father but through him.
When it came to politics his answer was always direct, simple and left no room for debate; in fact, once he spoke the truth he never said another word about it. Think about his statements such as "render unto Caesar that which is Caesar’s." He didn't waste time with argument or conjecture. He just spoke the truth and left everyone to deal with it according to their own thoughts. "In this world you will have trouble but take heart for I have overcome the world." He knew that they would either accept or reject the truth and no debate was necessary, because he knew people. Matthew 22:21 John 16:32-33
The same should be for us as Christians. We live in the United States, so we obey the laws and we pay our taxes, just as Jesus did when he walked the earth. Matthew 17:24-27 As citizens, we exercise the privilege of voting. But none of that overshadows the truth that we actually live by which is that this world is not our home that we are citizens of heaven. Philippians 3:20
We should have our minds on spiritual matters and we should preach the gospel. Jesus did not say preach politics, preach social justice, preach culturally, he said preach the gospel. Colossians 3:2
His story.
Nothing more; nothing less. It is not for us to twist the bible to fit our narrative or tell our story or a denominations story. It is not to be used for our own devices or make a political statement, a social statement or a cultural statement.
The gospel of Jesus Christ is the ultimate universal message. John 3:16-17
That we have ALL sinned and come short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23 That we have ALL been made, formed and created by God. Genesis 1:27 Psalm 139:13 That we are ALL loved by God. That He sent his son Jesus to die for every single solitary person whoever was, ever will be and is now, because it is His will that all should be saved and come unto the knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:3-4
Jesus addressed the world issues only in so far as they impacted individual lives in relation to them accepting the gospel message of salvation. He only addressed that which was personal, tangible and eternal so that people could receive his gift. Matthew 5
Think about Jesus' conversation with the woman of Samaria at the well in John chapter 4. When she spoke of worldly, social and cultural matters relating to her understanding of spiritual and eternal issues, Jesus left all that aside; about whether Jerusalem was where they should worship or whether Samaria was where they should worship or whether the temple was where they should worship or whether there was some other place they could worship. He didn’t go into some long winded explanation, he didn’t go point by point by point to prove anything to her. He simply spoke the truth clearly and concisely; God looks for those who will worship him in spirit and in truth. John 4:23-24
He gave her the truth and left it for her to either receive the truth and apply it or not.
This is how we Christians should be responding to everything going on in this world. We should not address specifically matters that are actually worldly. We should only address that which is eternal, which is salvation through Christ or an eternity in darkness. 2 Corinthians 5:18
That is the only truth that truly matters and that is the only gospel that should concern a Christian walking with Christ.
I don’t care who you are, where are you were born, how you were raised, what your skin looks like, what color your hair is, what language you speak, there is one gospel and it is for everyone equally.
We are all sinners, we are all in need of a Savior, we all must repent of our sin and declare with our mouth that Jesus Christ is our Lord and have eternal life through him or eternity apart from him.
Until we have that straight, that our ETERNITY must be settled before we can settle anything else, nothing else we say or do will matter for anyone.
ROMANS 10: 9-10 ...that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation
ONCE THAT IS SETTLED THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL LEAD EACH BELIEVER INTO THE SPECIFIC MINISTRY THEY ARE ANOINTED BY GOD TO FULFILL. UNTIL THEN, SALVATION IS THE ONLY MATTER THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AND SETTLED.
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